I Was I Am

Before I was an offer-er,
I was a beggar – a seeker
I begged desperately, I sought desperately
Wanderer was I
In search of and recovering even
the smallest of details
traces
assets, ‘nukte’, ‘totke’ (narratives)
that would connect me with the way it used to be
it ought to be.

All those walks, inadvertent at times
enriched me— for one
must deal in seeds from afore
must fill a bucket before
watering newer some sapling
praying for a harvest fine
—brought me to the last story tellers, the last masters
they were simple people
ordinary people as if
rich with thunderous laughter
wit and humour so chaste
—they were rich people.

I lack though
an ability to paint their portraits well enough
describe them apt…
For I saw them,
I know now
how it is to be endowed with Kirpa
How it is not..!

It is a jungle out there
a wild one at that
everyone is a flower
a flower though
is rare to come by.

I wander around still
for they have gone one by one
some flicker still in grace
in search of
but the doer has forgotten it seems
to sculpt such marvels yet some.
Where will
I see some
I hear some.